Pacific Grove Unified School
District
Note: This web page is a copy of the minutes from the Board of
Education Meeting.
Minutes are NOT OFFICIAL until approved by the Board.
The official Minutes are available at the Board Office.
Address any questions to the Superintendent, Dr. Ralph Porras, or call the District Office at 831-646-6510.
PACIFIC GROVE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Minutes of the Meeting of March 2, 2006
The Board of Education of the Pacific Grove Unified School District held a meeting on March 2, 2006 at the Forest Grove Elementary School.
I. OPENED BUSINESS
A. Called to Order 6:33 p.m.
B. Roll Call President: Beth Shammas
Clerk: Jessie Bray
Members Present: Richard Schramm
Bill Phillips
Mike Niccum
Administration Present: Patrick Perry
Robin Blakley
Student Board Member Present: Creston Whiting-Casey
C. Adopted Agenda
D. Identified Closed Session Topics
a. Superintendent/Assistant Superintendent Goals (TPO Report)
b. Meeting with Chief Negotiator Patrick Perry regarding CSEA request for early retirement
c. Meeting with Chief Negotiator Patrick Perry regarding PGTA and Confidential employees negotiations
d. Public Employee Dismissal Release – Resolution #776
E. Public comment on Closed Session items
None
F. Adjourned to Closed Session 6:35 p.m.
II. CLOSED SESSION
III. RECONVENED IN OPEN SESSION 7:05 p.m.
Report action taken in Closed Session
No action was taken on any of the Closed Session items; Board agreed to reconvene in Closed Session following Regular Board meeting.
a. Superintendent/Assistant Superintendent Goals (TPO Report)
b. Meeting with Chief Negotiator Patrick Perry regarding CSEA request for early retirement
c. Meeting with Chief Negotiator Patrick Perry regarding PGTA and Confidential employees negotiations
d. Public Employee Dismissal Release – Resolution #776
IV. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE pledge recited
V. REGULAR MEETING RECESSED 7:07 p.m.
SPECIAL BOARD MEETING
I. OPENED BUSINESS
A. Called to Order 7:08 p.m.
B. Roll Call President: Beth Shammas
Clerk: Jessie Bray
Members Present: Richard Schramm
Bill Phillips
Mike Niccum
Administration Present: Patrick Perry
Robin Blakley
Student Board Member Present: Creston Whiting-Casey
C. Adopted Agenda
MOTION (Schramm/Bray) to adopt agenda.
Public comment: none
Motion CARRIED 5-0 to adopt agenda
D. Resolution #777
Perry explained that certificated staff returning from leave will create overstaffing situation in the 2006–07 school year by up to 10 sections in Secondary Science and that reduction action must take place prior to March 15.
Board members did not have questions or comments.
MOTION (Bray/Schramm) to adopt the Resolution #777 and Exhibit A.
Public comment: none
Motion CARRIED 5 – 0
II. SPECIAL MEETING ADJOURNED 7:10 p.m.
VI. REGULAR MEETING RECONVENED 7:11 p.m.
VII. COMMUNICATIONS
A. Written Communication
There were no written communications
B. Board Member Comments
Whiting–Casey said the WASC team is meeting with ASB on Sunday, March 5th, he is looking forward to having repairs completed on the High School pool.
Schramm said it is nice to be back at Forest Grove and to see so many familiar faces in the audience. What is going to happen to former Community High building?
Blakley said the former Community High site building will be used for storage after repairs are completed.
Bray said she is also pleased to have the Board meeting at Forest Grove.
Shammas acknowledged Todd Buller’s efforts in planning the Memorial to honor Richard Chamberlin, that for such a huge event, it was also very touching.
C. Superintendent Report
There was no information presented.
VIII. INDIVIDUALS DESIRING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD
There were no public comments from the audience.
IX. PRESENTATION
A. PGUSD Website 10–Year Anniversary – Bruce Cates
Bruce Cates gave a presentation on the ten year progress of the District’s website, including highlights of the numerous useful applications and others that will be available in the future. Included in the near–future plans is to have the entire Board packet on the website for everyone to view and print. (Copies of the handout previewing the website are available in the District Office.)
Phillips said he is glad to see so much information available on the website, that having the Board packets available (for interested parties to download and print only those sections that are of interest to them, thus incurring a large savings on photocopying) is a huge quantum jump for the District.
Niccum asked how many hits the site has received and Cates said 226,000.
Linda Jones praised Cates’s work on the website, saying that Bruce is the website.
B. Forest Grove Presentation
Joe Bennett thanked the Board for coming to Forest Grove and his staff for showing their support by coming to the meeting. He acknowledged the Board for their great fiscal leadership, adding that whether he is speaking to them as a citizen or a staff member, he knows they listen. Forest Grove is an outstanding school that meets the needs of all students because of the dedication of all teachers and classified staff.
He has implemented the Principal’s Award which rotates monthly from one grade to the next and is given to those students who are doing their personal best. Other motivational programs are in areas of reading and math; they are going through growing pains but see the positive benefits of the Scott Purdy writing program; as they grow they anticipate doing a better job with the Open Court.
In reviewing the SIP plan, Bennett said that all of the money was spent on teacher aides, that everyone felt having them in the classrooms would improve the student teacher ratio. The classroom aides work only with the students, especially Title 1 students. He hopes that the Board will look at and perhaps support more funding for aides. (Statistical information presented noting gains in student achievement is available in District Office.)
Phillips said the Board wants to be a partner with the schools so please let them know what they can do. Bennett invited the Board to visit the school on Mondays and Wednesdays for lunch with the staff, and he will buy their lunch.
Bennett addressed the need for High School students to serve as counselors with Science Camp; the outdoor school is a good mainstream for students needing assistance. Without the counselors, they may need to abandon the program.
Bray said she was glad to see so many teachers and invited them to stay for the entire meeting so they can learn what the Board does to support the schools, particularly the item regarding instructional minutes which will impact them in the classroom. She said she does not like to visit classrooms unannounced, but appreciates being invited to visit.
Niccum said he served on the Forest Grove Site Council several years ago and he complimented staff and the site council for the turnaround in math scores.
X. CONSENT AGENDA
A. Minutes of January 26, 2006 Board of Education Regular Meeting
B. Minutes of February 2, 2006 Board of Education Regular Meeting
C. Minutes of February 16, 2006 Board of Education Regular Meeting
D. Certificated Assignment Order #11
E. Classified Assignment Order #11
F. Acceptance of Donations
G. Out of State/Overnight Activities
H. Acceptance of High School Amphitheater Project
I. Approval of Contract for Writing Program Services – Scott Purdy
J. STAR Testing Minimum Days
K. After School Enrichment Program
Niccum asked that the Board minutes, items A., B., and C., be pulled from the agenda
Bray asked that Item K be pulled.
MOTION (Bray/Niccum) to approve Consent Agenda Items D. through J.
Public Comment: none
Motion CARRIED 5 – 0.
Niccum said he was out of town, did not have a chance to review the minutes and would rather not approve the minutes without reading, only to come back later with any corrections; he did not see this as a good use of everyone’s time.
The Board supported Niccum’s suggestion to move items A., B., and C. to the next meeting.
To Bray’s concerns regarding having a class that would build a 9–hole miniature golf course, Linda Willliams responded that it is an indoor project and designed professionally so as not to do any damage to any surface.
Bray also noted in the Background section of the Board item, it stated that the program began in the fall of 2006 and it should read 2005.
Blakley noted that the recommendation for Item K should include “approving the contract” which accompanies the Board item.
MOTION (Schramm/Niccum) to approve Item K as revised to include “…and Contract for Services.”
Public comment:
Robert Kershner, parent of two children in the After School Enrichment Program, acknowledged Julia Winslow’s personal dedication to the program and said it is because of her efforts that it is so successful.
Motion CARRIED 5 – 0
XI. INFORMATION/DISCUSSION
A. Sub Committee Reports
Community Human Services
Perry said the minutes from the last meeting will be in the Friday Update.
City/District
Perry said a meeting was scheduled for February 27th, but the Mayor was not available and meeting will be rescheduled.
Negotiations
Bray reported that no meetings are scheduled.
ROP
Perry said next meeting is March 15th. Schramm will be out of town and asked Niccum to attend. Niccum will check his calendar.
Wellness Committee
Draft policy and regulations will be presented for a first reading at the March 16th Board meeting.
B. (New) Board Policy 6112 Instructional Minutes – Second Reading
Perry said it is not Administration’s intent to bring the policy and regulations forward for Board approval at this time, but to have policy and regulations at a point where the Board is comfortable with them, then conduct a staff discussion.
Schramm said he would like to know how classroom time is currently allocated.
Bray provided background information on the reason(s) for establishing a sound Board policy as found in the Core Values.
Shammas wanted to change the wording in the policy, second paragraph to read “…in the core subject areas of Reading, Writing and Mathematics…”
Paula Crivello said the teachers are very interested in a discussion regarding instructional minutes with the Board, but they need to first discuss it amongst themselves.
No action needed
C. Addendum of Board Policy 5020
Charlene Biagi noted a correction on page 13–C and said item needed to be pulled and returned at next Board Meeting.
XII. ACTION/DISCUSSION
A. Amendment to District Participation in CAL Card Program
Blakley said the Superintendent had requested that the credit card be reinstated, that limitations be modified to include hotel, motel and conference as approved expenses and that the credit limit on the card be increased.
MOTION (Phillips/Niccum) to approve reinstating the card, adding the approved expenditure items and increasing the limit.
Public comment: none
Motion CARRIED 5 – 0.
B. Approval of Second Interim Report – 2005/06 Budget
Blakley recommended that the Board approve the Second Interim financial report and adopt a positive certification.
MOTION (Bray/Schramm) to approve the report and adopt a positive certification.
Public comment: none
Motion CARRIED 5 – 0.
C. 2006/07 Budget Revenue, Expenditure Projections and Budget Assumptions
Blakley noted the changes from the last Board meeting and said he will not run a formal projection until he has the final figures from the negotiations. He wanted to forewarn the Board that when he calculated a “rough” budget projection, the total expenditures were already $190,000 over projected revenues – assuming a compensation adjustment in 2006/07 commensurate with that which will probably occur in our comparison districts. Some budget items may need to be moved off the list to pay for newer items.
No action required.
D. Revision of Substitute Teacher Compensation Rate
Blakley recommended that the Board place the item on the “budget request” list for consideration along with other competing needs.
Following discussion, Board members agreed that they are responsible for representing this group since they do not have their own bargaining unit (and have not received a raise in three years), and that the Core Values refers to treating all groups fairly.
MOTION (Niccum/Schramm) to approve increasing the per diem rates for substitute teachers by $5, effective July 1, 2006.
Public comment: none
Motion CARRIED 5 – 0.
E. Board Calendar/Future Meetings
No new meetings were scheduled
F. Future Agenda Items
1. Open Campus Proposal – March 16th (Shammas said this item was pulled from the March 2nd meeting to give the High School time to send out notices to parents notifying them of the Board’s intent to vote on the proposal should they wish to attend the meeting and speak.)
2. Preschool Initiative
XIII. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Safety Plan Allocation
PGUSD Library Improvement Plan
Staffing and Enrollment Projections, 2006–07
Format of Board items
Approval to Create Utility/Driver Position
March 16
Wellness Policy
Monterey Bay Charter School Proposal
XIV. ADJOURNED 9:13 p.m.
XV. RECONVENED IN CLOSED SESSION 9:15 p.m.
XVI. REPORTED ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION
a. Superintendent/Assistant Superintendent Goals (TPO Report)
No action taken
b. Meeting with Chief Negotiator Patrick Perry regarding CSEA request for early retirement
The Board authorized the Superintendent to sign a Side Letter of Agreement regarding the requested early retirement.
c. Meeting with Chief Negotiator Patrick Perry regarding PGTA and Confidential employees negotiations
No action taken
d. Public Employee Dismissal Release – Resolution #776
No action taken
XVII. ADJOURNED 9:45 p.m.
minutes/0506/030206min.html